Today at Isleworth School we have been flying the New Zealand and Belgian flag at half mast, and displaying our Field of Remembrance, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Passchendaele in the First World War.

The Third Battle of Ypres went from 31 July 1917 until 20 November 1917. The 12th October is considered,   in terms of lives lost in a single day, the blackest day in New Zealand’s post-1840 existence. 

There were about 2700 New Zealand casualties. They included about 950 men who were either dead or mortally wounded; 843 men are officially listed as dying on 12 October.

In our Field of Remembrance two of the names died on 12th October.  Private Thomas Dennehy and Lt Col George August King both were killed in action.

Also among the names in the Field of Remembrance is Dave Gallaher, who was the first All Blacks captain in 1905. He died on the 4th October 1917,  in the attack on Gravenstafel Spur in Belgium.

Lest we forget.